In the production of plastic (e.g., low-density polyethylene resin) articles such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,452 (and partially shown in FIG. 6 herein), a TGS Rotary Blow Molding Machine by Tokyo Glass Seiki Co., Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan was used. This machine was used to form the bottles in a strand with flashings therebetween. On exiting the machine and associated cooler, the bottles were dressed by separating the shorter flashings from the longer bottles using a system of three pairs of longitudinally grooved rollers driven at predetermined speeds.
In the system, a first pair of first rollers would receive the strand therebetween with a certain compressive force caused by the clearance between the first rollers. A second pair of second rollers would then receive the strand therebetween with a certain compressive force caused by the clearance between the second rollers. By driving the second rollers at a greater speed than the first rollers, the second rollers would then successively pull the flashing or bottle caught therebetween from the succeeding bottle or flashing caught between the first rollers. A vertically-adjustable platform is positioned between the first and second rollers to prevent bottles from tipping or dropping in advance of the second rollers.
From the second rollers, the now separated flashings or bottles would be directed toward a third pair of third rollers. However, as the bottles were longer than the flashings, the third rollers were positioned from the second rollers by a distance such that the flashings would fall therebetween while the bottles would be received between the third rollers. In this manner, the flashings were separated from the bottles, and the bottles were sent forward by the third rollers to be filled. The operation of such a blow-molding machine and dressing rollers is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,276 by Kentaro Hashimoto.
While the disclosed dresser system was satisfactory for use with the noted bottles, the dresser system was not satisfactory at all for an advanced bottle design having a twist-off top which is safe for children. This advanced bottle design is disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S Pat. No. 5,188,250 (and partially shown in FIG. 7) which is hereby incorporated by reference. In particular, and as explained in greater detail subsequently, such a dresser system was found to produce severely deformed bottles or unsatisfactory separation.